By Randall Richards
Living is the story of an ordinary man, reduced by years of oppressive office routine to a shadow existence, who at the eleventh hour makes a supreme effort to turn his dull life into something wonderful.
This was one of the best films I’ve ever seen. Maybe that’s because of my close brushes with death, either personally, or with family and friends who have passed on. Bill Nighy puts on a supreme performance as does his leading lady Aimee Lou Wood as do the other leading actors. The casting is top notch. The cinematography is artful and well thought through, with powerful imagery camera work throughout. Someone in our local community complained the movie is too slow, but with such weighty and important subject matter, it gives the viewer time to digest the themes and messages in the script, plus what is not said, as well is what is. Set in London in the 50’s, and based on Kazuo Ishiguro‘s story, and a remake a Kurosawa classic, it uses these two elements to amplify the lack of clear and open communication we experience more today. One almos wants to scream at the screen, telling the characters to “Open up for God’s sake”. Lastly, (spoiler alert) the timing of William’s death seems too soon in the script. Or does it? Surely he couldn’t die so early in the movie. But then, his story continues in a creative memory, so in essence he is still there for the audience. But isn’t life like that, where death comes too early or earlier than expected? I don’t think this was a haphazard construct of the movie. As mentioned in Rotten Tomatoes’ comments: Living is a movie that will leave you reflecting on the things you appreciate in your own life. It’s definitely not an action flick, but there’s plenty going on for the soul if you are willing to go there.
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